iPad 2 will sport anti-reflection non-retina display, claims analyst
Despite rumours that Apple will be upscaling the retina display of iPhone 4 for its second-generation iPad, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims his sources say anti-reflection will be the focus.
Apple's iPad 2 will not include a 'retina display' to match the iPhone 4 and latest iPod touch, claims analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. His component supplier contacts suggest, however, that Kindle-style anti-reflection technology will be part of the new iPad when it goes on sale later this year.
"The improvement of iPad 2 display focuses on thickness and anti-reflection, not resolution," says his latest analyst note for Concord Securities' clients, as outlined by AppleInsider.
"Thanks to anti-reflection, iPad 2 could have better sunlight readable experience and it's helpful for Apple to compete with Amazon's fast-growing Kindle business."
Why no retina display? Kuo suggests the problem is making enough of them to meet demand, since he expects between 4.5 and 5 million iPad 2s to be made in the first quarter of this year, ready for launch in March or April.
Kuo believes the iPad 2 will feature a beefier dual-core 1.2GHz processor, upping its power but also its battery-life management. His note also claims the iPad 2 will make use of a dual-core SGX543 graphics processor from Imagination that is "200-300 per cent [more] powerful than iPhone 4". Count us excited about Infinity Blade 2...
Kuo agrees with the widely held view that iPad 2 will include front and back cameras, but sadly also agrees with speculation that they'll match the relatively weedy snappers on the iPod touch, rather than the iPhone 4.
"iPad has two cameras," he writes. "Front camera is 0.3 megapixel and rear one is 1 megapixel. Front camera is for Facetime and Photo Booth and 0.3 megapixel is enough because the resolution of iPad 2 is 1,024x768. Rear camera is for applications such as video recording and augmented reality."
What do you think? Is Apple hobbling the iPad 2 to sell more units? Or is readability more important than resolution for a tablet? Let us know in the comments.